Method and apparatus for cutting and binding yarns



Feb. 22, 1955 c, GREEN 2,702,462

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND BINDING YARNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 13, 1954 INVENTOR [5440 EC. GPEEIVI Feb. 22, 1955 1. H. c;GREEN 2,702,462

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND BINDING YARNS Filed Aug. 15, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ZNVENTUE:

I 5414c EC. @5554 United States Patent" O METHOD A PA A S FOR CUTTINGBINDING YARNS Isaac H. C. Green, Pawtucket, R. IL, assignor toHempliilll compan Pawtucket, R1 I a corporation of Massa- C \lSettSApplication August 13, 1954, Serial No. 449,706

2 Claims. (Cl. 66-140) This invention concerns circular, independentneedle, knitting machines. It is particularly concerned with automaticmachines for knitting solid color pattern hosiery, and with yarn cuttersand binders for use in such machines.

By solid color pattern hosiery is meant stockings having a number ofdifferent colored pattern areas in the same courses around the leg, thedifferent pattern areas being connected together by sutures. The mostpopular example is diamond patterned Argyle hose.

U. S. Patent No. 2,217,022 describes a'fullywcutomatic machine forknitting this type of stocking. With this machine, an elastic top isknit first, and then the patterned leg is knit at two yarn feedingstations, each capable of feeding a plurality of different coloredyarns. During the knitting of the leg, the needle cylinder reciprocatesso that sutures are formed between pattern areas. Finally, the heel,toe, and foot are knit in the conventional way.

Hitherto, it has been necessary to draw continuously from their feedsall of the yarns used to knit the patterned leg, even when these yarnsare not knitting, as in the foot or top of the stocking. A considerablelength of such unused yarns accumulates inside of the stocking and mustbe cut out and thrown away in a post-knitting operation. Conventionalyarn cutting and binding methods and mechanisms can not be used toeliminate this waste of yarn and manpower, which reaches seriousproportions in mills which operate a large number of machines.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means forautomatically cutting and binding the pattern yarns during the knittingof non-patterned portions of fabric on circular, independent needle,knitting machines.

This has been accomplished on two-feed machines which, for example, knitpatterned areas in a reciprocatory manner by equipping them with aseparate cutter and binder for each yarn feeding station, converting themotion of the machine from reciprocating to rotary, guiding the patternyarns from each feed into a separate cutter and binder, rotating thecylinder to twist the pattern yarns trailing from the fabric into a cordand thereby apply a tension to the yarns to hold them in place, and thenbinding and severing them.

The invention is described by reference to the accompanying drawingswherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a yarn cutter and binder assembly;

Figure 2 is a section view of a yarn cutter and binder;

Figure 3 is a partial perspective of an elastic cutter and binderelement;

Figure 4 is a front view of a'cutter and binder assembly with thecutters and binders closed;

Figure 5 is a front view, partly in section, of a part of the assemblyof Figure 4 with the cutters and binders open; and

Figure 6 is a top view of the cutter and binder assembly of Figure 4.

The cutter and binder assembly of Fig. 1 has a first yarn cutter andbinder 1 for the yarns fed at one station, a second yarn cutter andbinder 2 for the yarns fed at another station, and an elastic cutter andbinder 3. Each of the yarn cutters and binders 1 and 2 consists (seeFig. 2) of a supporting member 4, a stationary blade 5, a movable blade6, a binding plate 7, and a spring plate 8. The elastic cutter andbinder (see Fig. 3) is of conventional type with a supporting member 9,a movable cutting and binding blade 10, and a yarn guide 11. All ofthese cutters and binders are carried as a complete assembly by a v2,702,462 Patented Feb. 22,1955

ICC

'2 bracket 12' which, 611 the wen known 'fBanner" SGP machine, issecured to the carrier ring 13 (Fig. 4)'=-.- Thus, the assembly locatedat the top, andin the" center, of theneedle Cylifi'df Whll the carrierring is in operating posltion.

The blade; 10 of the elastic binder 3 is normally held closed, as shownin Fig.- 1, by the spring 14 supported by'a bracket 15, and is moved tothe open-position, shown in Fig. 3 by the combination or levers I6 andI7, pivoted at 18 '9 respectively, which are operated by's'uit'ablecb'flfictlbhs from th I'Ilifi pattern dfl'lnl (lif'SHOWlflZ The blades 6of both of the yarn cutters and binders 1 and 2 are also moved by themain pattern drum through lever and rod connections (not shown) and aforked lever 20 pivoted at 21. The two arms 22 and 23 of the fork extendto the separate blades 6 of the cutters and binders 1 and 2,respectively. These arms are connected to the blades which they operateby means of a notch 24 in the arm and a pin 25 on the blade.

The movable blade 6 of each yarn cutter and binder has a yarn guardingportion 26 and a yarn cutting and binding portion or recess 27. The yarnguarding portion 26 extends from the cutting and binding portion 27upward and outward in an arc. The yarn cutting and binding portion 27has a knife edge on one side sliding against the fixed blade 5, and adull edge on the other side bearing against the spring held bindingplate 7. When the blade 6 is moved downward, the recess 27 is exposed toengage yarn, and when the blade is moved upward, the .yarn engaged bythe recess is severed and bound.

The cutters and binders 1 and 2 are mounted in line on the bracket 12.Thus, when the assembly is in position at the top, and in the center, ofthe needle cylinder, the cutting and binding recesses 27 of the blades 6of the two elements lie along the same horizontal axis and the arcuateshaped guiding portions 26 rise upward and outward from this axis inopposite directions. This enables them to prevent the yarns fromengaging the assembly while knitting is in progress, (Figs. 4 and 6),and to cooperate with yarn guides 28 to guide the yarns into the cuttersand binders when they are opened for the binding and severing operation(Fig. 5).

In Figure 4, yarn levers 29 and 30, feeding yarns 31 and 32,respectively, are in yarn feeding position; and levers 33 and 34 whichfeed the yarns 35 and 36, respectively, are in a raised inoperativeposition. Yarns 31 and 32 are shown feeding directly to the needles ateach of the two knitting stations of the machine. Yarn 35 has not yetknit. Consequently, it is still held by the binder of the element 2.Yarn 36 has completed the knitting of its particular pattern area and istrailing from the needle 37, which was the last to knit it, back throughthe yarn feeding lever 34. Figure 6 shows how this yarn and a similaryarn 38 from yarn feeding lever 39 slide under the yarn guardingportions 26 of the blades 6 to keep them from tangling with the assemblyas the needle cylinder reciprocates.

Figure 5 shows all of the yarn levers in the raised inoperative positionpreliminary to the cutting and binding operation. To begin thisoperation, the motion of the cylinder is changed from reciprocating torotating, and the blades 6 are moved downward to open the cutters andbinders so that the yarns feeding through the individual levers at eachof the two yarn feeding stations will be guided by the guarding portions26 of the blades 6 and the guides 28 into the yarn cutting and bindingrecesses 27. Rotation of the cylinder twists the individual yarnstrailing from the fabric into a common cord 40 at the center of thecylinder, as shown in Fig. 5. This holds the number of yarns feedingfrom each of the feeding stations together within the recesses 27 andunder tension until the blades 6 are moved upward to close the cuttersand binders and complete the binding and severing operation.

I claim:

1. A method of cutting and binding a number of yarns in each of aplurality of yarn cutters and binders on a circular, independent needle,knitting machine having a plurality of yarn feeding stations and whereinsaid plurality of yarns knit patterned fabric on the needles of areciprocating needle bearing cylinder which comprises the steps ofconverting the motion of said cylinder from reciprocating to rotary,opening said cutters and binders, guiding said number of yarns into eachof said plurality of open cutters and binders, rotating the needlecylinder to twist all of the yarns trailing from said fabric into acommon cord at the center of the needle cylinder thereby tensioningandholding within each of said open cutters andbinders the number of yarnswhich passes through it to form a part of said twisted cord, and thenclosing said cutters and binders to cut and bind said yarns.

2. In or for a circular, independent needle, knitting machine a yarncutter and binder assembly which comprises a first cutting and bindingelement and a second cutting and binding element, each of said elementshaving a movable member, each of said members having a yarn guidingportion and a yarn cutting and binding recess,

said recesses lying along substantially the same horizontal axis, saidyarn guiding portion of the movable member of said first elementextending away from said axis and upwards in a vertical plane through anarc of substantially 90, and said yarn guiding portion of the movablemember of said second element extending through a similar arc in asimilar direction from the other side of said axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,623,027 Gagne Mar. 29, 1927 2,287,131 Redeen June 23, 1942

